Pirates of the Caribbean:Creatures of the Night
by Shannon B
Summary: COMPLETE.Will runs into a vampire who's enemies could threaten Port Royal.With Jack Sparrow making his grand return and Elizabeth threatening to leave him,what will happen?Please RR
1. The Beginning

Will Turner was exhausted. It was nearly three in the morning and he was just locking up his blacksmith shop to go home to Elizabeth. Dragging his feet along the cobblestone sidewalks of Port Royal, he didn't initially hear the scuffle of an ensuing fight. 

"Get off me, you slobbering drunk!" 

Will stopped in his tracks. Could it have been his fatigue playing tricks with his good sense or had that really been a female voice coming from the alleyway? He slowly reached for the sword strapped to his side and stepped into the dank shadowy passage. Suddenly, a body went flying past him. It hit the brick wall and fell to the ground in an unmoving heap. Will ran to it and crouched down, his pulse racing. 

"Are you alright," he asked.

"Ugh…bloody bitch," the heap said and sat up. Will raised an eyebrow at the hefty man that was rubbing his head. What woman could have thrown this man across an alley? The answer stepped out of the shadows and Will was taken aback. 

She was a wisp of a thing. She appeared to be in her late teens, perhaps early twenties, but the cloak she wore made her seem almost childlike. The hood of the cloak covered most of her face, but Will could clearly see large dark eyes and a few tendrils of jet black hair peeking out of the cloak. 

Will stood and crossed the divide that separated them. "Are you alright, miss?" 

The girl looked him up and down, an action that, for some reason, made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. She smiled in a lazy, almost feline fashion at him, revealing straight, perfectly white teeth. Two of which happened to be unusually sharp. Will's grip on his sword tightened. Since the events that had passed almost three years, it took a lot to surprise him. This however, surprised him.


	2. Jack Returns

"My name is Sarah Bragan. I'm perfectly fine, although I appreciate your concern," she said, a slight Irish accent highlighting her words.

Will barely got done introducing himself when the heap behind him got shakily to its feet and pointed a dirty finger at Sarah. 

"Witch! You can only be a witch! You're gonna hang, you bleedin' witch," the man yelled, his words slurring together. In a split second, Sarah had traversed the space between the man and herself and had him pinned against the wall. 

"First of all, miscreant, I could have killed you when you attacked me but I didn't, so be grateful. Secondly, I'm not a witch. I'm a vampire." Throwing him aside, Sarah shook her head. 

"Get out of here." The terrified man staggered out of the alley, not looking back. 

Sarah turned to Will, an expectant look on her face. "Well?"

"Well what?" He stared back at her as if this happened every day, deciding to keep his shock to himself. 

"You're looking at a vampire. Aren't you the least bit surprised?" Will shook his head. 

"I've encountered more than you can imagine. Now, I'd like to get home to my wife. Have a good night and try not to hurt anyone else." 

With that, Will walked calmly past Sarah who just smiled and shook her head.

"Will? Is that you?" Elizabeth's sleep filled voice carried heavily across the dark bedroom of their home. 

"Yes." Will slid under the covers of the bed, feeling as if he could fall asleep at that exact moment. 

"Why were you so late?" Elizabeth tried to hide the anger in her voice. Will sat up and looked down at her.

"The past few weeks have been crazy. All of the soldiers in the area are ordering swords and it's my responsibility to make them." 

Elizabeth silently nodded and turned on her side. Will stared at her for a few moments than laid down again. 

The port bustled more than usual. The heavy black clouds hanging overhead signaled an oncoming storm that no one wanted to deal with. Jack Sparrow stood aside with his arms crossed, taking in everything that was in front of him. Everything seemed to be the same as when he was last there, three years ago. However, he knew something was up. He could feel it in the air, crackling around him. Jack had felt that same energy tingling in the air when he had been around those damn pirate zombies. He had felt in himself when he had been transformed. And now here it was again. Something was going to happen. Jack could feel it.

Sarah walked slowly down the dock, her eyes shifting from the people around her to the endless waters surrounding her. Cursing herself for being this stupid, she continued to make her way down the dock. 

__

'Great, running water is one of your biggest weaknesses and here you are, encircled by it.' 

"Thief! Get him!"

A boy raced past her, accidentally pushing her backwards. As if in slow motion, Sarah felt her boots slip off the dock planks. The water was an icy shock to her system and immediately she was pulled under by the strong current. Struggling to reach the surface, she only succeeded in sinking to the bottom faster. Blackness invaded her vision. 

_'So this is it. An immortal drowning. Ironic, really.' _

Hazily, she heard a splash above her and hands encircling her waist, pulling her upward. Through her daze, she felt wind hitting her face. Slowly she opened her eyes and found herself staring up at a man. 

"Jack," she whispered. She could tell he was shocked. "Didn't think I'd remember you, eh?" She struggled to sit up. Bracing his hand on her back, Jack looked down at her. Of all the women he expected to pull out of the ocean, Sarah Bragan was the last one. 

Memories flooded back in his mind. He had met Sarah five years ago, a little while after that blasted mutiny. They had had a quick affair and she had disappeared from his life, presumably forever. Jack had recovered by burying himself in booze and women. 

Standing up, Jack started to cross the beach. 

"Jack!" Sarah was on her feet in an instant. She sprinted to catch up to him. "Jack Sparrow! Is this any way to treat a lady," she asked playfully. 

Jack kept on walking, his eyes trained on some point in the distance. "It's _Captain _Jack Sparrow. And last time I checked, you weren't a lady."

The smile and playful attitude disappeared from Sarah's face. "What's wrong, Jack?"

"Oh nothing, I imagine. You disappear and I'm supposed to welcome you with open arms, is that it? Well, poppit, that's not how it works."

Sarah narrowed her eyes. "So you still hold grudges huh? Well what's the matter Jack? Can't the player get played? Or did you actually think I had feelings for you? You think I wanted to stay with you? A worthless pirate?"

Jack spun around to face, his hands grasping her shoulders tightly. "It's a lucky thing, kitten, that you're a woman. Otherwise I would have to teach you a thing or two about what to say about pirates."

Sarah tilted her head slightly. "I'm not scared, Jack. You should know that by now."

Jack looked at her and released his grip. He suddenly had the feeling they was being watched. He glanced around, his eyes as sharp as an eagles'.

"What's wrong, Jack," Sarah asked, her voice devoid of any attitude that had previously been there.

"I'm not sure…" Jack couldn't shake the wretched feeling of being watched. "Sarah, I don't know why you're here but I'd advise you to stay away from anything going on. Something isn't right."

"Aw, that's sweet, Jack. Are you concerned for my well being?" 

Jack turned back to her and gave her his most seductive smile. "That wasn't concern, love. That was protecting MY assets."

Sarah clenched her teeth. "Jack Sparrow, if you think that you own me, in any way, shape, or form…well you have something to learn." Sarah started to stalk off in the direction of the tavern she was staying in. 

"That's CAPTAIN!!" Jack grinned at Sarah's retreating form. 

'_Now, time to get down to business.'_

Will and Elizabeth were in the formal dining room when James, a servant employed by the governor, knocked and came in. 

"My lord, there is a….gentleman asking to see you. He says it is terribly urgent."

Elizabeth looked over at Will. "Were you expecting anybody?" 

Will shook his head, as confused as Elizabeth. "Send him in, James." 

A few moments later, the doors burst open again and Jack stood in the entryway. "Jack!" 

Will stood and shook Jack's hand. "I was wondering when you would stop by, Sparrow."

"Well, Turner, I figured it was time for a visit. Hello, Elizabeth."

The bland smile that met him struck him with surprise. Will looked at the floor and sighed. "Come on Jack."

"What's the matter with Elizabeth?" Jack sat down on one of the elaborate lawn chairs in the garden surrounding the Swann home. Will sat across from him.

"We haven't spent much time together these past few months. My work is extremely time consuming-"

"Do you still practice sword play for three hours or have you found another suitable activity for that time," Jack asked, a sly smile making its way onto his face. 

Will rolled his eyes. "We live in her father's household. Make your own conclusions."

Jack shook his head. "That's a shame. A woman like her, any number of men would love to have her in bed."

Will clutched his fists. "That's enough, Jack." 

A few minutes of silence passed. "Will, have you noticed anything strange around Port Royal lately?" 

"If a vampire is strange, then yes."

Jack sat up from his reclined position. "A vampire. Interesting. What'd it look like?"

"She was gorgeous, to tell the truth, if not a little mysterious. Black hair, dark eyes, tiny. You'd think she was an innocent child if you didn't know her."

Jack felt like he had been punched in the stomach. It couldn't be her. Sarah was NOT a vampire.

"Jack, are you alright? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"No, not this time. Just a vampire. Will, keep Elizabeth and yourself in this house until I get back. When I was at the dock today, I had a feeling I was being watched. If I was right, then I'm probably being followed. Keep an eye out for anything suspicious. I'll be back as soon as I can." He stood and left a confused Will in the gardens.

Sarah was almost asleep when a knock pulled her from slumber. She opened the door, rubbing her eyes tiredly. Jack felt an urge to hold her tightly. '_Damn it, Jack. You're a pirate! Pillage, plunder, all that rubbish. Pirates don't fall in love with their women!' _

Sarah saw Jack staring at her and took a step back. "I'm not in the mood for another argument, Jack."

"I'm not here to argue. I want some answers."

"Are you pulling up the past again?" Jack stepped inside her room and shut the door. "Yes. Only it's not the past you think it is. Why didn't you tell me you were a vampire?"

Sarah froze in the process of pulling her robe on. "Jack…I don't know what you're talking about." 

"Well, that's funny. Because, now that you mention it, it's all coming together. All those times you were weak at night because you were with me. You didn't get to feed did you? And today, at the dock. Running water…is any of this getting through to you, Sarah?" He took a step closer to her. "I won't hurt you. Just tell me," he said gently. She looked up at him and it was then that he noticed her teeth. 


	3. Unrest

"I didn't want you to know. How did you find out?" 

"My friend, Will Turner. He met you?" Sarah nodded, staring at the floor in defeat. Jack gave a sigh and walked to her. "Hey. Poppit, look at me." Sarah looked at him.

"I'm not going to tell anyone. Pirate's word of honor."

Sarah gave sound that was between a snort and a laugh. "That's funny, Jack." 

Jack half-smiled and stared intently at her. She searched his face. "Don't."

"Don't what?" 

"I'm not going to do this again. Face it, Jack. We won't work. Ever."

"Right." He looked down angrily, then walked back over to the door. "I must take leave of you now, pet. Unfortunately, I believe we have more than just you to worry about here." He turned and opened the door, only to be met with a fist to the face. "That was unexpected," he managed to get out before falling to the floor. 

"Jack!" Sarah ran to him. "Are you alright," she asked before glaring up at the shadow falling across the door. "What the hell was that about?"

Sarah stopped when she saw the man in the doorway. "Who are you?"

"Just a messenger. You're being watched very carefully. Watch your step, little miss. And as for you, pirate, it'd be best if you leave this island. Things are about to get very ugly around here. Be a pity if something happened to your governess friend and her husband. Ta." He was gone in a flash, moving with the speed only a vampire could possess. Sarah tried to process the information she'd just been given. Then she remembered Jack. 

"Oh, are you alright?" She looked down at him and froze. Blood was dripping from his cut lip. 

"Yes, I'm fine. Just a bit of a scrape, kitten." Jack got up and steadied himself against the open door. He looked up and noticed and the odd way she was looking at him. "What?" 

"Jack, leave."

"Sarah, I'm a bit confused-" 

"GO! Please! I can't control myself for ever." Jack reached up and touched his lip. "Oh. Yes well. I'll come back later. Stay inside." 

Jack walked back to the governor's mansion with the swagger of a man who was in true danger and didn't care. He walked up the pathway to the front door and stopped, his brow furrowed in confusion. The elegant front door was barely hanging on to its hinges and the several windows were broken. Stepping over the busted doorframe, Jack pulled his pistol from its holster. 

"Will? Elizabeth?"

"In here, Jack." Elizabeth's voice carried from the formal dining room. Jack stepped over the rubbish on the floor and into the room where Elizabeth and Will were surveying the damage. Elizabeth clutched at the scarf wrapped around her neck, angrily watching several servants pick through the waste that was her home. 

"Oh, for heaven's sake, Jack, put your sword away. It was simply burglars having some fun while we were out discussing matters with Father."

Will walked away from the window that had been smashed and put his arm on Elizabeth's shoulders. 

"She's right. There's no sign it was anything more serious," Will said, raising his eyebrow at Jack, silently warning him not to mention Sarah.

"Righ', righ'. Well, huh I guess I'll just have a go at the pub," Jack said with a grin, his senses all a-tingle again.

Elizabeth bade him good night and made her way upstairs. Will and Jack went into the foyer where there were no servants around to eavesdrop. 

"Who do you think did this, mate?"

Will shook his head. "I have no idea. Elizabeth's father has many enemies of course, but no one who would ransack a house just for the hell of it."

Jack couldn't ignore the feelings anymore. He opened the door and looked out into the dusk, his eyes sweeping the gardens. He rubbed his head, a slight headache starting to form above his left eye. 

"Master Turner, Mistress would like a word with you," said a young woman dressed in servants' garb. 

"Alright. Thank you, Anna. Jack, I'm sorry but I must go see what she wants. Anything to make her happy y'know. I'm sure this was just a group of town swindlers, nothing more. Get a room, get some sleep. You look like you need it, Jack."

With those parting words, Will went up the twisting staircase to attend to Elizabeth. Jack sent a shady look to Anna and then walked out the door, leaving the girl to giggle mindlessly.


	4. Axel and His Gang

By the time Jack got back to Sarah's tavern room, his head was pounding. Leaning on the doorframe, he knocked heavily. Sarah opened the door wearing a black night dress looking refreshed and alive. Jack wondered who she had fed on. 

"Jack, you look terrible! What's wrong?"

"'Sus a headache, love." Nevertheless, as soon as he got in her room, he sat on the bed and rubbed his head unsteadily. "Sarah, I think I have to have a long conversation with you about the people you conspire with." 

Sarah gave him a quizzical look. "You? Giving me advice about people I should hang around with? That's a laugh." 

Jack smiled gamely. "Will and Elizabeth Turner's house was looted tonight. Now, as much as I love to take credit for these types of things, my men and I consider the Turners close personal friends, which renders them immune to our thieving."

Sarah had a haughty look on her face. "You think I had something to do with this? I'm high above thievery and pilfering." The dark look she gave him before turning her back silenced his laugh. 

"But you're not above murder and execution?" Jack knew he shouldn't have said it but he almost always said the things he wasn't supposed to. Sarah had whipped around and wasn't glaring at him as he thought she would, but looking at him with a desolate, empty expression. 

"I didn't choose this life for myself, Jack," was all she said before plowing ahead in a business-like fashion. "The Turner's, Will is the one I met, I remember now. You think I had a hand in it?"

"Well…no, I just thought…," Jack fumbled. Sarah sighed. 

"Actually, I might know who it is. A vampire named Axel and his gang followed me to Australia from Ireland so that fact alone means he's persistent." 

Jack's interest was peaked now. "Why was he following you?"

"He thought I was his friend."

Jack stood, his head now clear. "You think he might have followed you here? But why would he have destroyed the Turner's house?"

"Axel must have seen me talking to Will the first night I got here. He must be jealous." 

Jack felt a swell of envy himself. What was this Axel guy like? Why did he feel he could just follow Sarah around like this? Before he could get these questions out, he and Sarah heard footsteps and hushed voices approaching the tavern. Sarah blew the candles out and grabbed Jack. She threw herself down under the window, pulling Jack with her. 

"She's around here somewhere, you say?"

"Oooh yes sir! I saw 'er with me own eyes! Bloody ruthless she was. Feeding, I mean."

"Yes, yes. I know how she gets. But you're sure it was her, Gavin?"

"Yes! Oh it was…never seen one 's pretty as 'er. 'O course, you're the only one who really deserves her, sir heh heh."

Jack recognized that tone of voice. Not the person, mind, just the voice. That 'Sir, I'm below you so I'll flatter you so much you'll remember me anyway' voice. It disgusted him. He looked over at Sarah in the darkness. Her face was a mixture of fear and outrage. She glanced over at him and their eyes met. 

'You alright,' Jack mouthed. Sarah nodded and continued to stare at him. 

"Gavin, there is no one around here."

"Sir, she was here! You 'ave to believe me!" There was a great sigh from the other person.

"Fine, Gavin. We'll come back tomorrow. We will find her. Little Sarah can't run from me."

The two sets of footsteps soon faded away. Jack raised his eyes to the window then back to Sarah. "What should we do now?"

Sarah shrugged and moved closer to him. Jack froze, his mind going back to those years ago when he was so happy with her. And then she had walked out. Jack shook his head and stood up. 

"No."

He lit a few candles and stuck a few cautionary glances out the window. Sarah remained sitting, staring at the rotting floor. Jack didn't look at her, just busied himself with packing her few items in a leather case. 

"What are you doing," she muttered. 

"Packing your bags. You can't stay here by yourself any longer. I'll take you to Will's. Elizabeth really should have another woman around, to be honest."

"Oh that's brilliant Jack! Send me to the place Axel already tore apart. Wonderful. I'm a vampire, Jack. I can take care of myself." 

Jack threw a white nightdress into the case, trying not to feel the texture of it. "If Axel already attacked it, he won't be likely to go back now will he?"

Sarah shook her head. "You don't know him like I do."

Jack found his hands shaking with anger. He turned around and found himself face to face with her. "And how well do you know him, eh kitten? Did you just flirt or were you in the sack in no time? Like it was with me? Did you walk out on him too? DID YOU ABANDON HIM TO THE MISERABLE LIFE HE HAD COME FROM LIKE YOU DID WITH ME?" He found that he had backed Sarah up against the door. Jack opened his mouth then closed it again, not knowing what to say. Sarah looked down, then up again, her glittering with tears.

"Jack…I never had the chance to apologize for what I had done. But it was for your own good. I didn't want to leave you. You saw what vampires are like when they are jealous…if Axel was on my tail, I couldn't let him see that I loved you."

Sarah stopped. She clearly hadn't meant to confess that fact. Jack gave a slow smile. "I never knew you thought that highly of me." 

Sarah smiled shakily. Jack lowered his head and kissed her gently. Stepping back, he smiled. "Now. On to the Turners'."


	5. Confrontations

Sarah had to admit; she was a bit intimidated by the Governor's house and the lady of it. Elizabeth had been up, bustling around with the servants, cleaning the remaining mess. When Jack and Sarah had entered the house, she had stopped, eyeing Sarah curiously. After Jack explained the situation, Elizabeth had graciously given each of them rooms. 

Sarah lay in bed, fingering the beautiful fabric of the bedspread. She felt uncomfortable here; as if she were being lured into a false sense of security. Laying down, she listened with her superior hearing to the sounds of the house. A cat crept along the hall outside her room, someone set down a teacup in the kitchen, then an undistinguishable sound…one of trapped alarm. Sarah sat up, listening. There it was again, coming from the connected room. She got up and went to the door adjoining the two chambers. Swallowing hard, she opened the door and peeked in. Despite it being mid-morning, there was no light in the room. The drapes were pulled tightly together, like soldiers blocking out the sunlight. Sarah stepped into the room and realized the noise was coming from the bed. She tiptoed forward until she was standing next to the double bed. 

"Jack," she whispered. He was in a deep sleep, yet his face was distorted with panic. Sarah bit her lip, weighing her options. She could go back to her room and listen to his dream-terror or she could wake him up right now. Sarah resolutely poked Jack in the shoulder. "Sparrow, wake up."

Jack sat up, his hand grasping Sarah's wrist tightly, although his hand was shaking. He looked around the room wildly, as though to get a grip on where he was. 

"Jack, are you alright?"

He looked at her for a long moment. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine, kitten. 'Sus sleeping on land. My body ain't used to it. Water, that's my bed." 

Sarah smiled and removed her hand from his grasp. "Right." She moved to go back to her room, but Jack grabbed her wrist. 

"You're free to stay with me, darlin'," he said with a mischievous smile on his face. Sarah clenched her jaw. Damn him! Why did he have to be so persuasive? She felt herself moving slowly toward him, almost as if he had a magnetic draw. No!

"Jack, you know what would happen if I stayed," Sarah said tersely, as if she were a schoolmarm and he a little boy who didn't know the obvious.

"Yeah, I do. And the problem is?" His eyes reflected lighthearted joking but she could see something else. Something dark.

"You still don't forgive me. Until you do, I am a friend and ONLY a friend." With that, Sarah turned and walked resolutely back into her room.

A day and a half later, Sarah was trying not to go insane. It seemed like forever since she had had a good meal, even though the feasts that the Turners had every night were brilliant. But they didn't fill Sarah. No matter how much food she ate, it couldn't substitute for blood. 

It didn't help that Jack was avoiding her like the plague. Since the night in his room, he had only spoken the obligatory 'Hello, how are you?' to Sarah. She couldn't really blame him. She herself didn't know how to feel about the situation; how could she expect for him to have everything sorted?

These were the thoughts filling Sarah's head as she slid her boots on in the middle of the night. She was going to get some dinner. If she didn't do it now, she wouldn't be able to hold herself responsible for any further 'accidents' in the Turner household. 

Sneaking out the front door, she took a deep breath. It was cool…no, cold. She vaguely remembered a time when her breath would have been visible, but now breathing was not essential, only something she did to keep the guise of being human alive. 

A cloud obscured the moon, darkening everything. Sarah's senses sharpened; her eyes focused, her ears pinpointed every little sound. Including the sound of someone walking toward her. Spinning around, she swung out to hit whoever was following. Her hand hit air. Sarah's brow furrowed.

'You just imagined it,' she thought to herself. Walking into the dark streets of Port Royal, Sarah felt exceptionally uneasy. Footsteps with no owners, shadows with no body to attach it to….

Walking past a dark alley, Sarah reacted too slowly to escape the pair of hands that reached out to grab her. 

"Hello, pet."

Sarah sighed, realizing what a stupid mistake she had made. Inside the Turner's glorious mansion she had been immune to any evils that lurked about. Stepping outside of that fortress had been a huge miscalculation. 

"Good evening, Axel." Even in the shadows, he was gorgeous. Dark brown hair, eyes a girl could drown in. All part of his draw. 

Axel smiled slowly. "I've been looking for you, Sarah. You've been very hard to find…but its worth it now."

Sarah lifted an eyebrow. "Sorry Axel, but you've wasted your time. I don't want to be with you. I didn't then and I don't now. So g'bye." She yanked herself out of his grasp and started stalking back to the street. 

She suppressed the cry of shock that threatened to burst of out her when a hand grasped her hair and pulled her backwards. Axel looked down at her face. "I don't like to cause you pain, Sarah. But you force me to do this when you don't listen to me." He relaxed his grip on her hair a bit. "My proposal is still standing. And before you say a word, I won't accept anything but a 'yes'." 

Sarah smiled sarcastically at him. "Well when you ask like that…"

Axel's face darkened and he twisted her hair tightly. "Think about what you're doing. You have the chance to be the queen of all vampires. Join me on my throne and I promise life will be good."

"Like when you promised life would be good if I agreed to become a vampire? Huh, Axel? Isn't that what you promised? 'Turn into a vampire and you will be gloriously happy. You will live forever and never feel pain again.' I've felt more pain in my life as a vampire than I ever could have felt in twenty human lifetimes! And you know why? You, Axel! You were the one who turned me with false promises and then left me to die when I didn't measure up. Remember?"

Axel pursed his mouth and let go of her hair. She remained standing indignantly in front of him. "You're alive, aren't you? And if I'm not mistaken, didn't you kill the man who pulled you out of the water? Him and his whole family?" Axel said acidly. 

Sarah's face flushed. "I had to! I would have died if I didn't."

Axel decided a different approach was in order. "Then what are you going to do for the rest of eternity, Sarah? Answer me that. Will you wander from port to port, searching for the adventure that never comes? What will happen when your pirate captain dies? What then? You'll be alone, darlin'. Everyone you love will die sooner or later, unless they are a vampire."

"I could turn him," Sarah said desperately, feeling horribly alone at the thought of losing Jack. Axel touched her face tenderly. "You wouldn't do that. You hate me for making you what you are; you could never give that gift to anyone else."

"It's not a gift! You've condemned me," Sarah said with quiet hate. 

Axel laughed arrogantly. "If that's the way you feel…" He looked at her with a dark menace. "I just hope you're prepared to face the consequences of your decision."

Sarah searched his face for some sign of what would come. "What are you going to do, Axel?"

He shook his head and walked away with a smile on his face.


	6. Never

Jack sat in the library with the doors open, half reading and half keeping an eye on the newly fixed front door. When Sarah came back, he would give her a piece of his mind. However he didn't know if he could spare any fraction of his mind at the moment. With each passing hour that Sarah was out of the house, his tension had grown. If only he had watched her more carefully…if only he had been awake when she left…no use trying to change the past. Jack's musings were interrupted by the violent swinging open of the front door. _'There go the hinges,' _Jack thought. He got up and walked into the foyer. Sarah looked at him and threw her arms around him. "What a welcome," Jack quipped. However his good humor faded when he looked down at Sarah. 

She was deathly pale and her eyes were filled with panic. "Sarah, what's wrong?" He could feel her body shaking against his. 

Jack started to lead her into the library but she stopped. "No, Jack. We have to go. All of us, we have to get out of Port Royal. Axel is-" 

Jack interrupted her quickly. "Axel hasn't got anything on Will's sword skills and my--well, my overall skills. He can't hurt you when you here."

Sarah stared at him with a look that broke his heart. "I'm not worried about me. It's you I'm terrified for."

Jack grinned. "I think I can a handle a angry vampire. I handle you, don't I?"

Instead of making her laugh or even give him the evil eye, she burst into tears. Jack wrapped his arms around her. "I can deal with it, kitten. It'll be ok." 

Sarah sniffled and hiccupped. "Oh Jack, I'm so sorry to have dragged you all into this. It won't be ok at all. It never will be!" Jack backed up and looked determinedly into her eyes. 

"Yes it will. Captain Jack Sparrow never loses a fight."

Sarah smiled frailly and wiped her eyes. A wave of nausea and a spell of dizziness later, she was up against Jack again. "Whoa. Must be all the excitement," Sarah said, trying to sound strong. Jack looked down at her. "When was the last time you've eaten?"

Sarah shrugged and rubbed her head. "A few days ago." 

"_A few days_? You have to eat. Sarah, if you bite me, will I turn into a vampire?" 

She weakly shook her head, trying to hold on to whatever amount of consciousness she still had left. "Then come with me, kitten."

"Jack, no!" Sarah stood by the bedroom window, grasping the sill tightly until her knuckles were white. He came up behind her. 

"I'm not letting you go out there again. You'll either have to starve or use me as a substitute."

"I won't do it."

"I won't let you starve." For a few seconds, two iron wills faced off. Suddenly, a wave of lightheadedness swept over Sarah and she crumpled into Jack's arms. "Fine," she muttered. 

Sitting on the bed, Sarah held Jack's arm. She stared at it, willing it to give her energy without any bloodletting. "Jack, please don't make me," she begged, but was silenced with his look of determination. Sighing, she closed her eyes and bit into his arm, immediately locating a vein. 

Jack clenched his teeth, trying to ignore the burning sensation that was making its way up his arm. Sarah let go of his arm and looked away. 

"I wish it could be different," she said softly.

Jack shrugged, rubbing his aching arm. "What's a bit o' blood between friends?" Sarah turned to him. 

"No, Jack. I mean with everything. I wish that Axel wasn't stalking me, I wish that I'd never left you, I wish that I wasn't a vampire, or that you were, one of them."

Jack lifted an eyebrow. "Can you do that?" 

Sarah seemed to come out of a trance. "Huh?"

"Make me a vampire." Jack suddenly knew that he would give up anything to be with Sarah. He'd give up traveling the world, meeting new faces, he'd even give up his boat. If it would make him be with Sarah, he wouldn't object to drinking blood a few days a week.

Sarah stood up quickly, knocking a book off the table by the bed. "I won't do that to you."

Jack stood as well, confused. "How can you say that after you said you wished you didn't want to leave? That usually means you want the opposite, which, in this case, is to be together. And I've sorta got that whole agin' process goin' on, while you don't. The logical way to stay together is to make me a vampire."

Sarah looked at him for a long time. "You don't understand what you're asking me to do." Jack shrugged. 

"Not to degrade you, Sarah, but how hard can it be? Drink some blood, dodge some bad guys, stay good-looking forever. Same as bein' a pirate almost."

She shook her head. "It's not all fun and games, _Jack._ There is killing involved and its not by a sword or a pistol. Can you deal with killing people with your own hands? People who might have helped you or might have become your friend. People with families, Jack. FAMILIES! And you have to do it alone because there is no one with you. Everyone dies sooner or later and then you're alone." 

Jack put his hands on her shoulders. "But we can be together. You won't be alone anymore."

Sarah shook her head. "You'd come to despise me. Just as I've come to despise the one who turned me." With that, she walked out of the room. 


	7. A Revelation

Sarah was outside, gazing up at the black sky. She knew she shouldn't be outside where Axel had access to her, but after her recent confrontation with Jack, she needed fresh air. Looking up at the moon, she sighed. _'Axel, why did you do this to me.'_

"Because I loved you," a whisper came from behind her. Whipping around, Sarah gasped. Before she could scream for Jack or even Will, Axel pulled her to him and covered her mouth. "No where to go, no where to hide. You ask me why I did this to you? I thought that you could accept the fact that you were meant to live forever. I thought you could accept killing, feeding, from people you knew…but maybe I was wrong. For hundreds of years I've been infatuated with you, your perfection, your spirit. But I've found someone else now." Axel turned Sarah around, his hand still covering her mouth.

Out of the shadows stepped Elizabeth Swann. She smiled, a gesture tinted with evil, and unwrapped the scarf that adorned her neck. Two fresh bite marks surrounded by a dark bruise garlanded her neckline. Sarah shook her head and clenched her jaw. "Axel, you can't do this to her," she said, although the words were muffled. Axel uncovered her mouth and ran a finger down her cheek. 

"I believe I can do this to her. She seems perfectly happy to abandon her loveless marriage and join me, as my queen."

Sarah tried to break through to Elizabeth. "I realize I barely know you, but you're too good for this! Don't do it!"

Elizabeth stepped closer to her. "Don't be jealous, Sarah. Your time has come and gone. If you had an ounce of smarts in you, you would have dumped Jack a long time ago and reigned with Axel. You lost your chance and now it's mine."

Sarah tried to get out of Axel's grip but his grip was iron-strong. "She's under your spell, Axel, and you know it. She would never say these things! You can't accept the fact that I never wanted to be with you and now you have to go and ruin her life just to prove how big and strong you are."

Axel smiled maniacally. "I really didn't want to do this, Sarah." 

Sarah suddenly felt a sharp pain in her chest. Axel let her go and looked at her with both dismay and contentment. Sarah looked down and started to shake. The hilt of a knife stuck out of her chest. She dropped to her knees, pain overtaking her. Axel knelt before her. "I really didn't want to kill you this way. Beheading is so much faster and less painful than getting stabbed through the heart." Sarah looked at him, unable to communicate her loathing. Axel sighed and, standing, offered his hand to Elizabeth, who took it. They disappeared into the shadows. 

Sarah gritted her teeth and grasped the end of the knife and pulled it out of her chest. Taking a deep breath and standing, she crossed her arms. "My heart is not on my right side, Axel you bumbling idiot." Turning around, she went back into the house. 

"Will, you're wife is in trouble," she said as she passed him on the steps. 

"_What?_" Will followed her into her room where she pulled out her suitcase. Opening it she pulled out a knife with odd looking marks on it. "Sarah, what are you doing," Will questioned again, desperate for information. 

"I'm getting ready to kill Axel, save your wife, and get back to Jack before he knows I've left."

"Too late." Sarah shut her eyes at the sound of Jack's voice. 

"Jack, you can't stop me." He stepped up to her and looked down at her. She searched for hostility in his eyes, but didn't find any. "You can't stop me," she repeated, desperate to break the silence filling the room.

"I don't want to stop you, love. You have to do what you have to." Sarah opened her mouth and closed it again. She had become so used to waging verbal battle with Jack that she didn't know how to respond when he gave her support.

"Jack, I don't know what to say. Why are you being so…not like you?" Jack flashed her that boyish smile that made her heart melt. 

"I realized that you don't need me around to protect you all the time. You are probably more capable of taking care of yourself than anyone in this room. You don't need me any more." Though he said it with a smile, there was a sadness lacing his words.

Sarah reached up and pulled him to her. She kissed him slowly and sighing, pulled away. "I do need you," she whispered. "But I don't want you to get hurt. I can do this alone." 

Will cleared his throat and stepped closer to the couple. "I hate to break you guys up, but my wife is in apparent danger and you know, I'd _really _like to get her back!" 


	8. Immortal Combat

The dark streets of Port Royal were empty, save for a few drunken homeless sailors, sleeping away their intoxication. Sarah's sense were tingling with anticipation. Axle was out here somewhere with Elizabeth and she was going to find them. 

The soft glow of street lanterns fell onto an isolated block. Sarah clutched the knife she held at her side. The only known weapon that could destroy Axle for good and release Elizabeth from his spell. She had once prayed that she would never have to use the weapon, but now…she could not wait to employ it.

_"Sarah." _Her name was carried on the wind, said so low that she wasn't sure she had actually heard it. Sarah's heart began to pound. This was it. By the end of the night, either she or Axel would be dead. 

Her body acted before her mind could comprehend reason. Turning quicker than any human could understand, she raised the knife above her head. A hand gripped tightly onto her wrist, nearly crushing her bone. Crying out in both surprise and pain, Sarah dropped the knife from her hand. 

Smiling slyly, Axel kicked the knife away into the darkness. Sarah's heart sank. Without that knife, she could not be able to kill Axle. Maybe kick the hell out of him, but not destroy him. "Why did you come back, Sarah? Why didn't you stay where you were safe?" Axel's voice held a restrained note of actual concern. 

"Well that wouldn't have been much fun, would it," Sarah taunted. To be carefree was to irritate Axel. His grip on her wrist tightened. Sarah clenched her teeth together. Her arm was going numb and she had no escape plan. _Wonderful. _

"I will kill you, darling. And I won't mess up this time." Axel lowered her arm and released his grip on it. Sarah clenched her hand into a fist and swung. With a simple shove, Axel roughly pushed her to the ground. He was next to her in an instant, his hand tangled in her hair, pulling her head back. He eyed her neck. "Do you remember when I turned you? You were the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. I remember thinking that it would be a pity for such a beauty like you to grow old and die. I knew that it would be easy for me to turn you. All it took was a pretty face to persuade you. It was so easy…" 

Sarah felt trapped in a never ending nightmare. She remembered all too easily how she had been turned. "Axel…" She didn't know what to say. She refused to beg. She would rather die than plead for her life. He leaned his face closer to hers. 

"Say you want me to stop and I will. She'll be out of the picture in one second if you say you love me." Axel gestured to Elizabeth, who had stepped out of the shadows. She watched the scene in the middle of the street with a mix of fevered glee and anxiety. 

"Elizabeth, get out of here! Go back to Will," Sarah screamed at the woman, her words suddenly cut short by Axel's hand gripping her throat. 

"I'm disappointed, Sarah. You know that she will never take your place but she will make a nice alternative." Axel released Sarah and pulled Elizabeth to him. As he kissed the bewitched woman, Sarah looked into the shadows, trying to find the knife. This was her chance. 

Spotting the metal glinting in the lantern-light, Sarah was on her feet before Axel could realize it. She ran for the knife, feeling a small bit of hope welling up inside of her. That hope came crashing down around her when she felt a hand grab her and spin her backwards. She found herself looking up into Axel's dark, glinting eyes. Sarah suddenly had the urge to cry. 

She had tried so hard. She had only wanted to help the people how had helped her. And now, because of her careless mistakes, Elizabeth was going to face centuries of despair. Most likely after Axel finished killing Sarah and transforming Elizabeth, he would find Jack and Will and slaughter them as well. The thought of Jack dying by the hands of Axel sent shivers up Sarah's back.

"You still have a chance, Sarah." Axel's eyes held a forbidden promise. He knew that she realized his plans. "If you come with me, I'll spare the life of your precious pirate. Just say yes." Sarah's lip trembled. 

"I don't think so, mate." Sarah's head snapped up. Axel dropped her to the ground and turned, his eyes wide with surprise. Jack stood in front of him, playing with the knife. "Now, am I to believe tha' a vampire's weak spot is 'is 'eart?" 

Axel stood speechless. "What? How-" Jack stepped forward and shrugged. 

"I'm Captain Jack Sparrow, mate, what can I say?" 

Axle's features darkened. He had not just spent the better part of a month seeking out Elizabeth, stealing her will bit by bit, to be stopped by a mangy pirate. "I'd like to see you try and stop me. You're a mortal, you pathetic maggot. You can't destroy me."

Jack smiled his lopsided smile that said, '_I know something you don't and it will kill you'. _"You obviously haven't gotten a good look at this, 'ave you," he asked, holding up the knife. Axel paled slightly, then stood straighter. 

"I'd like to see you try and get close enough to use it." Axel's smirked at Jack, his eyes reflecting only hate. Sarah stood and placed a hand gently on Axel's shoulder. He turned to face her, shock evident on his features. 

"Axel, I just wanted to say," she said, moving closer to him, wrapping her arms around his neck, "that I have always admired your," she paused, her eyes locking with Jack's over Axel's shoulder. Jack grinned and gripped the knife. "Stupidity," Sarah finished her sentence as Jack rammed the knife into Axel's back. 

Axel looked down in shock, then fell to the ground, slowly disintegrating before Jack and Sarah's eyes. Sarah turned to Elizabeth, who was looking around in confusion. "Jack," she said, her hand gripping her throat. "What are you doing here?" 

Jack smiled and went to Elizabeth. "You've missed a lot, darling," he said, taking her arm and leading her away from the remains of Axle. 

Sarah remained behind for a few seconds, looking down at what had been Axle. Gripping her aching wrist, she followed Jack and Elizabeth back to the Turners'. She somehow dreaded facing Jack after this. 


	9. Explosions

"Here you are Will, your wife, safe and sound thanks to me," Jack said grandly as he entered the Turner mansion with Elizabeth, a cocky smile on his face. 

Sarah's mouth fell open. _'Bloody arrogant bastard,' _she thought. She had been the one to go out and put her life on the line! Jack had just shown up at an opportune moment. She had stupidly assumed that he would give her some credit. Shaking her head, Sarah left the endearing homecoming scene and went up to her room. Calmly closing the door behind her, Sarah sat on her bed, staring into the dark. 

Her emotions swirling, she closed her eyes. What to do now? Axel was taken care of and Elizabeth was home with her loving husband. There was no reason to stay around. Right? Rubbing her eyes, she laid back against her pillows. 

_ 'Stupid Jack. Always getting in the way of progress,' _she thought to herself. Imprudent Jack….Sarah slammed her fist onto the soft mattress. Why was this so hard? All she had to do was walk out the door and continue on with her life! She was free of Axel; why should she feel obligated to stay with Jack.

'_You love him,' _a voice said in the back of her mind. Sarah groaned, knowing it was true, yet not wanting to acknowledge it. She could never stay with him. In time he would grow old and die, while she stayed young forever. She didn't want to sit around, watching him die. But what did he want? Sarah couldn't help but think that if he said to stay with him, she would. 

As if on cue, the door opened, throwing light into the room. "Sarah?" Jack squinted into the room. She sat up, bringing her knees up to her chin, looking heart wrenchingly vulnerable.

"Yeah?" Jack closed the door and walked over to the bed, taking a seat in front of her. "Why din't you stay downstairs," he questioned.

"What? And ruin _your _big victory. I'd never dream of stepping on you glory, Jack. I mean, you _did _destroy Axel all by your lonesome. You found him, fought him, and killed him. Congratulations, Jack." Despite her defenseless expression, her voice was heavily laced with anger and sarcasm. 

Jack frowned. "Sarah, you don't understand-" Sarah jumped to her feet. 

"_I _don't understand!? Oh, I understand perfectly, Jack. I understand that you are _the _most arrogant, self-important, egotistical man I have _ever _met!" Jack was on his feet now, confusion and anger painting his own features. 

"Now wait one minute, love. You're memory needs a bit o' help, 'cause _I _was the one who killed the bad guy, not you!" Jack flashed an 'I'm right and you're not' grin at Sarah. 

"Ohhh you are something, Jack Sparrow! If I hadn't distracted him, he would have sliced you into tiny pieces before you knew what was going on!"

"Really," Jack said suavely, "Because I saw what was going on. _You_ were scared for _my _life." The anger on Sarah's face dissipated. She thought back to what Axel had said …_If you come with me, I'll spare the life of your precious pirate. _

Sarah looked away from Jack, crossing her arms over her chest. "I would have been concerned for anyone's life." 

Jack stepped closer, shaking his head. "No you wouln 't 'ave. You care about me," he said it was just a hint of triumph in his voice. Sarah looked up at him. "Does your ego _ever _stop growing," she snapped. 

Jack grinned. He knew exactly what to say to make her angry. "Sarah, I think fate has been telling us something. What are the odds that I would come back to Por' Royal the exact same time you were coming 'ere?"

Sarah stayed silent, cautiously eyeing him. '_Please Jack. Just say you want me to stay.' _

Jack touched her face, his eyes locking with hers. "Face it, Sarah. You love me." For the second time that night, Sarah looked vulnerable. "And…and how do you feel about me," she asked nervously, feeling as if she were a young girl in her first true romance. And hating that feeling.

Jack leaned down and kissed her. Sarah wrapped her arms around his neck, happiness engulfing her. Pulling away, he smiled. "Tha' enough answer for you?"

Alright well I have writers block. I want to have at least one more chapter but I don't know how it will go. I'm a bit partial to non-predicable/ 'different' endings but who knows what will happen? 


	10. ResolutionsAn Epilouge

Authors Note: Sorry this little part took so long to write but I have been so incredibly busy its ridiculous! Now that this is done, I can focus on all my other stories! But tell me, would a sequel to this be something you would want to read? Lemme know! Hope you liked the story!

Sarah looked at Jack, his face calmed in a consoling sleep. No more nightmares of unknown terror. She gripped the door handle tightly. She had to leave. Now. Otherwise, she may never get off this blasted island. Away from Jack. Away from all she cared about and wanted to protect.

Sighing, she couldn't get herself to move out of Jack's room. Sarah knew that she may very well never see him again. Her throat tightened at the prospect of spending eternity without her pirate…but it was for the best. At least that's what her conscious kept telling her.

Walking silently over to Jack's bed, she knelt beside it and gently placed her hand over his. "Please, Jack. Don't follow me. I have to protect you…and this is the only way I know how." She stood and walked back to the door. "Goodbye…"

THE END….PERHAPS? J


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